Summaries
Entertainment & Pop CultureGeography & TravelHealth & MedicineLifestyles & Social IssuesLiteratureMoneyPhilosophy & ReligionPolitics, Law & GovernmentScienceSports & RecreationVisual ArtsWorld History
Willis Tower summary
Willis Tower, formerly (1973–2009) Sears Tower , Skyscraper...
publishing summary
publishing, Traditionally, the selection, preparation, and distribution...
compact disc (CD) summary
compact disc (CD), Molded plastic disc containing digital data...
computer summary
computer, Programmable machine that can store, retrieve, and...
supercomputer summary
supercomputer, Any of a class of extremely powerful digital...
cultural globalization summary
cultural globalization, Concept describing the manner in which...
psychological testing summary
psychological testing, Use of tests to measure skill, knowledge,...
Henry Ford summary
Henry Ford, (born July 30, 1863, Wayne county, Mich., U.S.—died...
Steve Wozniak summary
Steve Wozniak, in full Stephen Gary Wozniak , (born Aug. 11,...
Henry Ford summary
Henry Ford, (born July 30, 1863, Wayne county, Mich., U.S.—died...
Saddam Hussein summary
Saddam Hussein, also spelled Ṣaddām Ḥusayn , (born April 28,...
Ford Motor Co. summary
Ford Motor Co., U.S.
personal computer summary
personal computer (PC), Digital computer designed for use by...
Notable Characters in the Works of Charles Dickens
Use this list to learn about the most notable characters in the...
Demeter summary
Demeter, In Greek religion, a consort of Zeus and the goddess...
Silvio Berlusconi summary
Silvio Berlusconi, (born Sept. 29, 1936, Milan, Italy—died June...
insecticide summary
insecticide, Any of a large group of substances used to kill...
herbicide summary
herbicide, Agent, usually chemical, for killing or inhibiting...
Leonardo da Vinci summary
Leonardo da Vinci, (born April 15, 1452, Anchiano, Republic...
Key Terms: Titanic
This list provides definitions of important terms that will help...
Comprehension Quiz: Titanic
Use this quiz to test how much you know about the Titanic disaster,...
Marie Curie summary
Marie Curie, orig.
John Herschel summary
John Herschel, in full Sir John Frederick William Herschel, 1st...
artificial fibre summary
artificial fibre, Fibre whose chemical composition, structure,...
canal summary
canal, Artificial waterway built for transportation, irrigation,...
geothermal energy summary
geothermal energy, Power obtained by using heat from Earth’s...
nuclear power summary
nuclear power, Energy produced by nuclear fission of heavy atomic...
solar cell summary
solar cell, Any device that directly converts the energy in...
Fukushima accident summary
Fukushima accident, also called Fukushima nuclear accident or...
Essex summary
Essex, U.S.
news aggregator summary
news aggregator, Online platform or software device that collects...
Scottish Enlightenment summary
Scottish Enlightenment, Combination of minds, ideas, and publications...
SpaceShipOne summary
SpaceShipOne (SS1), The first privately developed crewed space...
mobile telephone summary
mobile telephone, also called mobile phone , Portable device...
bridge summary
bridge, Structure that spans horizontally to allow pedestrians...
London Bridge summary
London Bridge, Any of several successive structures spanning...
Three Gorges Dam summary
Three Gorges Dam, Dam spanning China’s Yangtze River (Chang...
tunnel summary
tunnel, Horizontal or nearly horizontal underground or underwater...
carbon sequestration summary
carbon sequestration, Long-term storage of carbon in plants,...
vegetable farming summary
vegetable farming, Growing of vegetable crops, primarily for...
James B. Eads summary
James B.
shale gas summary
shale gas, Natural gas obtained from sheetlike formations of...
stepwell summary
stepwell, Gujarati vav Hindi baoli or baori , Subterranean edifice...
Titanic summary
Titanic, British luxury passenger liner that sank on April 15,...
aqueduct summary
aqueduct, Conduit built to carry water from its source to a...
dam summary
dam, Barrier built across a stream, river, or estuary to conserve...
hydroelectric power summary
hydroelectric power, Electricity produced from generators driven...
abbey summary
abbey, Complex of buildings housing a monastery or convent under...
aberration summary
aberration, Deviation of light rays by lenses or curved mirrors...
abrasives summary
abrasives, Sharp, hard materials used to wear away the surface...
actinide summary
actinide, Any of the series of 15 consecutive chemical elements...
Robert Adam summary
Robert Adam, (born July 3, 1728, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scot.—died...
Henry Adams summary
Henry Adams, (born Feb. 16, 1838, Boston, Mass., U.S.—died March...
aerobatics summary
aerobatics, Sport of performing maneuvers such as rolls, loops,...
aerospace engineering summary
aerospace engineering, Field concerned with the development,...
agora summary
agora, In ancient Greek cities, an open space serving as an...
air-conditioning summary
air-conditioning, Control of temperature, humidity, purity,...
air-cushion vehicle summary
air-cushion vehicle, or hovercraft , Vehicle supported above...
Airbus S.A.S. summary
Airbus S.A.S., European aircraft manufacturer that is the world’s...
airplane summary
airplane, Fixed-wing aircraft that is heavier than air, propelled...
airport summary
airport, Site and installations for the takeoff and landing...
airship summary
airship, or dirigible , Lighter-than-air aircraft with steering...
AK -47 summary
AK -47, Soviet assault rifle.
alkali metal summary
alkali metal, Any of the six chemical elements in the leftmost...
alkaline earth metal summary
alkaline earth metal, Any of the six chemical elements in the...
almanac summary
almanac, Book or table containing a calendar of a given year,...
alternative energy summary
alternative energy, Any of various renewable power sources to...
aluminum summary
aluminum, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Al, atomic...
amphitheater summary
amphitheater, Freestanding, open-air round or oval structure...
antenna summary
antenna, or aerial , Component of radio, television, and radar...
Appian Way summary
Appian Way, Latin Via Appia. , First and most famous of the...
Apple Inc. summary
Apple Inc., formerly Apple Computer, Inc. , Microcomputer design...
Appomattox Court House summary
Appomattox Court House, Former town, southern central Virginia,...
apse summary
apse, Semicircular or polygonal termination to the choir, chancel...
arch summary
arch, Curved structure that spans the opening between two piers...
Archimedes summary
Archimedes, (born c. 290–280 bc, Syracuse, Sicily—died 212/211...
Philip Danforth Armour summary
Philip Danforth Armour, (born May 16, 1832, Stockbridge, N.Y.,...
armoured vehicle summary
armoured vehicle, Motor vehicle with plating for protection...
Edwin H. Armstrong summary
Edwin H.
artificial insemination summary
artificial insemination, Introduction of semen into a female’s...
artificial intelligence summary
artificial intelligence (AI), Ability of a machine to perform...
artillery summary
artillery, In modern military science, big guns such as cannons,...
Gunnar Asplund summary
Gunnar Asplund, (born Sept. 22, 1885, Stockholm, Swed.—died...
Aswan High Dam summary
Aswan High Dam, Dam across the Nile River, north of Aswan, Egypt.
AT&T Inc. summary
AT&T Inc., formerly American Telephone and Telegraph Co. , U.S.
atrium summary
atrium, In an ancient Roman house, an open central court that...
Audion summary
Audion, Elementary radio tube developed by Lee De Forest (patented...
autoclave summary
autoclave, Vessel, usually of steel, able to withstand high...
automation summary
automation, Term coined about 1946 by a Ford Motor Co.
automobile summary
automobile, Four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger...
AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) summary
AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System), Mobile, long-range...
ax summary
ax, Hand tool used for chopping, splitting, chipping, and piercing.
B-17 summary
B-17, or Flying Fortress , U.S.
B-52 summary
B-52, or Stratofortress , U.S.
Charles Babbage summary
Charles Babbage, (born Dec. 26, 1791, London, Eng.—died Oct....
Leo Baekeland summary
Leo Baekeland, (born Nov. 14, 1863, Ghent, Belg.—died Feb. 23,...
bagasse summary
bagasse, Fibre remaining after the extraction of the sugar-bearing...
acetate summary
acetate, C2H3O2− ion, a salt, ester, or acylal derived from...
BAE Systems summary
BAE Systems, British manufacturer of aircraft, missiles, avionics,...
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam summary
A.P.J.
space station summary
space station, Crewed artificial structure designed to revolve...
William Blake summary
William Blake, (born Nov. 28, 1757, London, Eng.—died Aug. 12,...
calendar summary
calendar, System for dividing time over extended periods, such...
computer science summary
computer science, Study of computers, their design (see computer...
Charles Dickens summary
Charles Dickens, (born Feb. 7, 1812, Portsmouth, Hampshire,...
dictionary summary
dictionary, Reference work that lists words, usually in alphabetical...
encyclopaedia summary
encyclopaedia, Reference work that contains information on all...
Encyclopædia Britannica summary
Encyclopædia Britannica, The oldest English-language general...
Erie Canal summary
Erie Canal, Historic waterway, northern U.S.
forestry summary
forestry, Management of forested land (see forest), together...
Grand Canal summary
Grand Canal, Series of waterways in northern China that link...
information processing summary
information processing, Acquisition, recording, organization,...
Internet summary
Internet, Publicly accessible computer network connecting many...
Johannes Kepler summary
Johannes Kepler, (born Dec. 27, 1571, Weil der Stadt, Württemberg—died...
library summary
library, Collection of information resources, in print or in...
Manhattan Project summary
Manhattan Project, (1942–45) U.S.
map summary
map, Graphic representation, drawn to scale and usually on a...
Michelangelo (di Lodovico Buonarroti) summary
Michelangelo (di Lodovico Buonarroti), (born March 6, 1475,...
museum summary
museum, Public institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting...
Panama Canal summary
Panama Canal, Lock-type canal, Panama.
Pearl Harbor attack summary
Pearl Harbor attack, (Dec. 7, 1941) Surprise aerial attack by...
postal system summary
postal system, System that allows persons to send letters, parcels,...
printing summary
printing, Process for reproducing text and illustrations, traditionally...
protein summary
protein, Any of numerous organic compounds, complex polymers...
rare earth metal summary
rare earth metal, Any of a large class of chemical elements...
Suez Canal summary
Suez Canal, Ship canal, Isthmus of Suez, Egypt.
telephone summary
telephone, Instrument designed for simultaneous transmission...
wood summary
wood, Hard, fibrous material formed by the accumulation of secondary...
operations research summary
operations research, Application of scientific methods to management...
pharmaceutical industry summary
pharmaceutical industry, Public and private organizations involved...
Marie Curie Timeline
Timeline of events in the life of Marie Curie. The Polish-born...
Marie Curie’s Achievements
Descriptive list of some of the most significant achievements...
Industrial Revolution Key Facts
List of important facts regarding the Industrial Revolution,...
Industrial Revolution Timeline
Timeline of significant events of the Industrial Revolution,...
Industrial Revolution Causes and Effects
List of some of the major causes and effects of the Industrial...
Galileo Timeline
Timeline of important events in the life of Galileo whose discoveries...
Galileo’s Achievements
Summary of major achievements by Italian natural philosopher,...
Alexander Graham Bell Timeline
A timeline showing key dates in the life of Scottish-born American...
Alexander Graham Bell’s Achievements
A list highlighting some of the most important achievements of...
Leonardo da Vinci Timeline
A timeline of significant events in the life of Leonardo da Vinci....
Leonardo da Vinci’s Achievements
A descriptive list of some of the major achievements of Leonardo...
Theodore Roosevelt Timeline
A timeline of significant events in the life of Theodore Roosevelt,...
Theodore Roosevelt’s Achievements
Summary of the major achievements of Theodore Roosevelt who,...
arboriculture summary
arboriculture , Cultivation of trees, shrubs, and woody plants...
astronomical unit summary
astronomical unit (AU), unit of length effectively equal to...
Walter Bagehot summary
Walter Bagehot, (born Feb. 3, 1826, Langport, Somerset, Eng.—died...
beekeeping summary
beekeeping, or apiculture , Care and manipulation of honeybees...
Marcellin Berthelot summary
Marcellin Berthelot, (born Oct. 27, 1827, Paris, France—died...
Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel summary
Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, (born July 22, 1784, Minden, Brandenburg—died...
Jeff Bezos summary
Jeff Bezos, (born Jan. 12, 1964, Albuquerque, N.M., U.S.), U.S.
bismuth summary
bismuth , Semimetallic to metallic chemical element, chemical...
Marc Bloch summary
Marc Bloch, (born July 6, 1886, Lyon, France—died June 16, 1944,...
Tycho Brahe summary
Tycho Brahe, (born Dec. 14, 1546, Knudstrup, Scania, Den.—died...
Wernher von Braun summary
Wernher von Braun, (born , March 23, 1912, Wirsitz, Ger.—died...
capacitance summary
capacitance , Property of a pair of electric conductors separated...
Andrew Carnegie summary
Andrew Carnegie, (born Nov. 25, 1835, Dunfermline, Fife, Scot.—died...
celluloid summary
celluloid , Name for the first synthetic plastic material, developed...
centrifuge summary
centrifuge , Machine that applies a sustained centrifugal force.
Chernobyl accident summary
Chernobyl accident, Accident at the Chernobyl (Ukraine) nuclear...
Samuel Taylor Coleridge summary
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, (born Oct. 21, 1772, Ottery St.
Le Corbusier summary
Le Corbusier , orig.
James Andrew Broun Ramsay, marquess of Dalhousie summary
James Andrew Broun Ramsay, marquess of Dalhousie, (born April...
Denis Diderot summary
Denis Diderot, (born Oct. 5, 1713, Langres, France—died July...
Amelia Earhart summary
Amelia Earhart, (born July 24, 1897, Atchinson, Kan.
e-commerce summary
e-commerce, in full electronic commerce , business-to-consumer...
Lawrence Ferlinghetti summary
Lawrence Ferlinghetti, orig.
John C. Frémont summary
John C.
Carlos Fuentes summary
Carlos Fuentes, (born Nov. 11, 1928, Panama City, Pan.—died...
Focke-Wulf 190 (Fw 190) summary
Focke-Wulf 190 (Fw 190) , Fighter aircraft of Nazi Germany,...
Galileo (Galilei) summary
Galileo (Galilei), (born Feb. 15, 1564, Pisa—died Jan. 8, 1642,...
Carl Friedrich Gauss summary
Carl Friedrich Gauss, orig.
General Motors Corp. summary
General Motors Corp. (GM), U.S.
Global Positioning System summary
Global Positioning System (GPS), Precise satellite-based navigation...
graphical user interface summary
graphical user interface (GUI), Computer display format that...
Walter Gropius summary
Walter Gropius, (born May 18, 1883, Berlin, Ger.—died July 5,...
Johannes Gutenberg summary
Johannes Gutenberg, (born c. 1395, Mainz—died probably Feb....
gyroscope summary
gyroscope , A mechanical or optical device used to maintain...
Edmond Halley summary
Edmond Halley, (born Nov. 8, 1656, Haggerston, Shoreditch, near...
halogen summary
halogen , Any of six nonmetallic elements—fluorine, chlorine,...
William Randolph Hearst summary
William Randolph Hearst, (born April 29, 1863, San Francisco,...
Werner Heisenberg summary
Werner Heisenberg, (born Dec. 5, 1901, Würzburg, Ger.—died Feb....
Hermann von Helmholtz summary
Hermann von Helmholtz, (born Aug. 31, 1821, Potsdam, Prussia—died...
Hipparchus summary
Hipparchus, or Hipparchos , (born , Nicaea, Bithynia—died after...
holography summary
holography , Method of recording or reproducing a three-dimensional...
Christiaan Huygens summary
Christiaan Huygens, or Christian Huyghens , (born April 14,...
incunabulum summary
incunabulum , Book printed before 1501.
integrated circuit summary
integrated circuit (IC), or microcircuit or chip or microchip...
International System of Units summary
International System of Units, or Système International d’Unités...
kapok summary
kapok , Fibre obtained from the large tropical silk cotton,...
Theodore von Kármán summary
Theodore von Kármán, (born , May 11, 1881, Budapest—died May...
Tadeusz Kościuszko summary
Tadeusz Kościuszko, (born Feb. 4, 1746, Mereczowszczyzna, Pol.—died...
Robert M. La Follette summary
Robert M.
Irving Langmuir summary
Irving Langmuir, (born Jan. 31, 1881, Brooklyn, N.Y., N.Y.,...
Ferdinand, viscount de Lesseps summary
Ferdinand, viscount de Lesseps, (born Nov. 19, 1805, Versailles,...
Justus, Freiherr von Liebig summary
Justus, Freiherr von Liebig, (born May 12, 1803, Darmstadt,...
light-emitting diode summary
light-emitting diode (LED), Semiconductor diode that produces...
liquid crystal display summary
liquid crystal display (LCD), Optoelectronic device used in...
lithography summary
lithography , Printing process that makes use of the immiscibility...
Sir Bernard Lovell summary
Sir Bernard Lovell, (born Aug. 31, 1913, Oldland Common, Gloucestershire,...
manganese summary
manganese , Metallic chemical element, one of the transition...
maser summary
maser , Device that produces and amplifies electromagnetic radiation...
Gerardus Mercator summary
Gerardus Mercator, orig.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe summary
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, orig.
modem summary
modem , Electronic device that converts digital data into analog...
molybdenum summary
molybdenum , Metallic chemical element, one of the transition...
Monticello summary
Monticello , Home of Thomas Jefferson, located southeast of...
Akio Morita summary
Akio Morita, (born Jan. 26, 1921, Nagoya, Japan—died Oct. 3,...
Muhammad I Askia summary
Muhammad I Askia , or Muhammad Ture , (died March 2, 1538, Gao,...
Pier Luigi Nervi summary
Pier Luigi Nervi, (born June 21, 1891, Sondrio, Italy—died Jan....
Alfred Nobel summary
Alfred Nobel, (born Oct. 21, 1833, Stockholm, Swed.—died Dec....
nucleic acid summary
nucleic acid, Any of the naturally occurring chemical compounds...
operating system summary
operating system (OS), Software that controls the operation...
Blaise Pascal summary
Blaise Pascal, (born June 19, 1623, Clermont-Ferrand, France—died...
Louis Pasteur summary
Louis Pasteur, (born Dec. 27, 1822, Dole, France—died Sept....
Philips Electronics NV summary
Philips Electronics NV, in full Royal Philips Electronics NV...
photometry summary
photometry , Precision measurement of the brightness, colour,...
Auguste Piccard summary
Auguste Piccard, (born Jan. 28, 1884, Basel, Switz.—died March...
pneumatic device summary
pneumatic device , Any of various tools and instruments that...
polyethylene summary
polyethylene (PE), Any of the polymers of ethylene, the largest...
polymer summary
polymer , Any of a class of natural or synthetic substances...
Sebastião de Carvalho, marquess de Pombal summary
Sebastião de Carvalho, marquess de Pombal, (born May 13, 1699,...
Ramadan summary
Ramadan , In Islam, a holy month of fasting, the ninth month...
John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh summary
John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh, (born Nov. 12, 1842,...
Richter scale summary
Richter scale , Widely used measure of the magnitude of an earthquake,...
John Augustus Roebling summary
John Augustus Roebling, (born , June 12, 1806, Mühlhausen, Prussia—died...
Andrey Sakharov summary
Andrey Sakharov, (born May 21, 1921, Moscow, Russia—died Dec....
Glenn Seaborg summary
Glenn Seaborg, (born April 19, 1912, Ishpeming, Mich., U.S.—died...
Sir William Siemens summary
Sir William Siemens, orig.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn summary
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, (born Dec. 11, 1918, Kislovodsk, Russia—died...
Charles Proteus Steinmetz summary
Charles Proteus Steinmetz, orig.
Suger summary
Suger , (born 1081, near Paris—died Jan. 13, 1151), Abbot of...
Georg Philipp Telemann summary
Georg Philipp Telemann, (born March 14, 1681, Magdeburg, Brandenburg—died...
telemetry summary
telemetry , Highly automated communications process by which...
Tennessee Valley Authority summary
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), U.S.
titanium summary
titanium , Metallic chemical element, one of the transition...
Thomas Tompion summary
Thomas Tompion, (baptized July 25, 1639, Northill, Bedfordshire,...
Richard Trevithick summary
Richard Trevithick, (born April 13, 1771, Illogan, Cornwall,...
tungsten summary
tungsten, or wolfram , Metallic chemical element, one of the...
turbine summary
turbine , Any of various devices that convert the energy in...
Alan Turing summary
Alan Turing, (born June 23, 1912, London, Eng.—died June 7,...
unidentified flying object summary
unidentified flying object (UFO), Aerial object or optical phenomenon...
vanadium summary
vanadium , Metallic chemical element, one of the transition...
Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban summary
Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, (born May 15, 1633, Saint-Léger-de-Foucherest,...
Volkswagen AG summary
Volkswagen AG (VW), Major German automobile manufacturer.
John von Neumann summary
John von Neumann, orig.
Sergey, Count Witte summary
Sergey, Count Witte, (born June 29, 1849, Tiflis, Georgia, Russian...
yacht summary
yacht , Sail- or motor-driven vessel used for racing or recreation.
Vladimir Zworykin summary
Vladimir Zworykin, (born July 30, 1889, Murom, Russia—died July...
Internet service provider summary
Internet service provider (ISP), Company that provides Internet...
Energia summary
Energia, also called RKK Energia formerly OKB-1 , Russian aerospace...
MiG summary
MiG, officially ANPK imeni A.I.
Sukhoy summary
Sukhoy, officially OKB imeni P.O.
Tupolev summary
Tupolev, officially ANTK imeni A.N.
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. summary
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS), European aerospace...
geographic information system summary
geographic information system (GIS), Computerized system that...
television summary
television (TV), Electronic system for transmitting still or...
Time Warner Inc. summary
Time Warner Inc., Largest media and entertainment conglomerate...
Bill Gates summary
Bill Gates, in full William Henry Gates III , (born Oct. 28,...
Chrysler summary
Chrysler, U.S.
Douglas Engelbart summary
Douglas Engelbart, (born Jan. 30, 1925, Portland, Ore., U.S.—died...
Nikola Tesla summary
Nikola Tesla, (born July 9/10, 1856, Smiljan, Lika, Austrian...
Facebook summary
Facebook, American company offering online social networking...
Facebook summary
Facebook, American company offering online social networking...
transistor summary
transistor, Solid-state semiconductor device for amplifying,...
hemp summary
hemp, Stout, aromatic, erect annual herbaceous plant of the...
information system summary
information system, An integrated set of components for collecting,...
Tillie Olsen summary
Tillie Olsen, orig.
Sir Maurice V. Wilkes summary
Sir Maurice V.
Steve Jobs summary
Steve Jobs, (born Feb. 24, 1955, San Francisco, Calif., U.S.—died...
space shuttle summary
space shuttle, formally Space Transportation System (STS) , ...
Oprah Winfrey summary
Oprah Winfrey, (born Jan. 29, 1954, Kosciusko, Miss., U.S.),...
electronics summary
electronics, Branch of physics that deals with the emission,...
gasoline engine summary
gasoline engine, Most widely used form of internal-combustion...
photoengraving summary
photoengraving, Any of several processes for producing printing...
coal summary
coal, Solid, usually black but sometimes brown, carbon-rich...
dye summary
dye, Any of a class of intensely coloured complex organic compounds...
gardening summary
gardening, Laying out and tending of a garden.
horticulture summary
horticulture, Branch of agriculture concerned with the cultivation...
mass production summary
mass production, Application of the principles of specialization,...
weather modification summary
weather modification, Deliberate or inadvertent alteration of...
nanotechnology summary
nanotechnology, Manipulation of atoms, molecules, and materials...
Horace Greeley summary
Horace Greeley, (born Feb. 3, 1811, Amherst, N.H., U.S.—died...
steel summary
steel, Alloy of iron and about 2% or less carbon.
submarine summary
submarine, Naval vessel capable of operating underwater for...
tank summary
tank, Heavily armed and armoured combat vehicle that moves on...
lighthouse summary
lighthouse, Structure, usually with a tower, built onshore or...
typography summary
typography, Design or selection of letter forms to be organized...
machine tool summary
machine tool, Stationary, power-driven machine used to cut,...
plastics summary
plastics, Polymers that can be molded or shaped, usually by...
helicopter summary
helicopter, Aircraft with one or more power-driven horizontal...
particle accelerator summary
particle accelerator, Device that accelerates a beam of fast-moving,...
soap summary
soap, Any of a group of organic compounds that are salts of...
textile summary
textile, Any filament, fibre, or yarn that can be made into...
theatre summary
theatre, Building or space in which performances are given before...
nuclear reactor summary
nuclear reactor, Device that can initiate and control a self-sustaining...
nuclear weapon summary
nuclear weapon, or atomic weapon or thermonuclear weapon , Bomb...
navigation summary
navigation, Science of directing a craft by determining its...
niobium summary
niobium, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Nb, atomic...
osmium summary
osmium, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Os, atomic...
radar summary
radar, System that uses electromagnetic echoes to detect and...
railroad summary
railroad, Mode of land transportation in which flange-wheeled...
rocket summary
rocket, Type of jet-propulsion device that uses either solid...
ruthenium summary
ruthenium, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Ru, atomic...
ship summary
ship, Large floating vessel capable of crossing open waters.
thallium summary
thallium, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Tl, atomic...
microscope summary
microscope, Instrument that produces enlarged images of small...
mining summary
mining, Excavation of materials from the Earth’s crust, including...
materials science summary
materials science, Study of the properties of solid materials...
hospital summary
hospital, Institution for diagnosing and treating the sick or...
laser summary
laser, Device that produces an intense beam of coherent light...
launch vehicle summary
launch vehicle, Rocket system that boosts a spacecraft into...
fishing industry summary
fishing industry, Taking, processing, and marketing of fish...
explosive summary
explosive, Any substance or device that can produce a volume...
feed summary
feed, Foodstuff grown or developed for livestock and poultry...
food preservation summary
food preservation, Any method by which food is protected against...
broadcasting summary
broadcasting, Transmission of sound or images by radio or television.
building construction summary
building construction, Techniques and industry involved in the...
coal mining summary
coal mining, Extraction of coal deposits from the Earth’s surface...
ICANN summary
ICANN, in full Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers...
George E. Hale summary
George E.
Sydney Opera House summary
Sydney Opera House, Performing-arts centre on the harbour in...
transition element summary
transition element, Any chemical element with valence electrons...
road summary
road, Traveled way on which people, animals, or wheeled vehicles...
rubber summary
rubber, Flexible material that can recover its shape after considerable...
jet engine summary
jet engine, Any of a class of internal-combustion engines that...
Gordon Craig summary
Gordon Craig, (born Jan. 16, 1872, Stevenage, Hertfordshire,...
Motorola, Inc. summary
Motorola, Inc., U.S.
biofuel summary
biofuel, Mixture of volatile, flammable hydrocarbons derived...
information theory summary
information theory, Field of mathematics that studies the problems...
telecommunication summary
telecommunication, Communication between parties at a distance...
Daimler AG summary
Daimler AG, German automotive manufacturer.
Rupert Murdoch summary
Rupert Murdoch, (born March 11, 1931, Melbourne, Vic., Austl.),...
pagoda summary
pagoda, Towerlike multistoried structure of stone, brick, or...
Heron of Alexandria summary
Heron of Alexandria, or Hero of Alexandria , (flourished c.
falconry summary
falconry, Sport of employing falcons or other hawks in hunting...
bicycle summary
bicycle, Lightweight, two-wheeled, steerable machine that is...
gallium summary
gallium, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Ga, atomic...
palladium summary
palladium, Metallic chemical element, one of the transition...
Philo T. Farnsworth summary
Philo T.
atomic bomb summary
atomic bomb, Weapon whose great explosive power results from...
Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty summary
Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, officially Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons...
foxhunting summary
foxhunting, Chase of a fox by horsemen with a pack of hounds.
John Smith summary
John Smith, (baptized Jan. 6, 1580, Willoughby, Lincolnshire,...
Jack Kilby summary
Jack Kilby, (born Nov. 8, 1923, Jefferson City, Mo., U.S.—died...
Sir Humphry Davy summary
Sir Humphry Davy, (born Dec. 17, 1778, Penzance, Cornwall, Eng.—died...
Edward Teller summary
Edward Teller, orig.
coat of arms summary
coat of arms, or shield of arms , Heraldic device dating to...
Alexander Graham Bell summary
Alexander Graham Bell, (born March 3, 1847, Edinburgh, Scot.—died...
William Benton summary
William Benton, (born April 1, 1900, Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.—died...
Sir Henry Bessemer summary
Sir Henry Bessemer, (born Jan. 19, 1813, Charlton, Hertfordshire,...
Daniel H. Burnham summary
Daniel H.
Vannevar Bush summary
Vannevar Bush, (born March 11, 1890, Everett, Mass., U.S.—died...
Richard E. Byrd summary
Richard E.
William Byrd summary
William Byrd, (born 1543, Lincoln, Lincolnshire?, Eng.—died...
United States Capitol summary
United States Capitol, Meeting place of the U.S.
George Washington Carver summary
George Washington Carver, (born 1861?, near Diamond Grove, Mo.,...
Joseph Chamberlain summary
Joseph Chamberlain, (born July 8, 1836, London, Eng.—died July...
Jacqueline Cochran summary
Jacqueline Cochran, (born 1910?, Pensacola, Fla., U.S.—died...
William F. Cody summary
William F.
Ferdinand Cohn summary
Ferdinand Cohn, (born Jan. 24, 1828, Breslau, Silesia, Prussia—died...
Lee De Forest summary
Lee De Forest, (born Aug. 26, 1873, Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S.—died...
Frederick Douglass summary
Frederick Douglass, orig.
Charles Stark Draper summary
Charles Stark Draper, (born Oct. 2, 1901, Windsor, Mo., U.S.—died...
Thomas Alva Edison summary
Thomas Alva Edison, (born Feb. 11, 1847, Milan, Ohio, U.S.—died...
Oliver Evans summary
Oliver Evans, (born Sept. 13, 1755, near Newport, Del.—died...
Henry Fielding summary
Henry Fielding, (born April 22, 1707, Sharpham Park, Somerset,...
Robert Fulton summary
Robert Fulton, (born Nov. 14, 1765, Lancaster county, Pa., U.S.—died...
William Lloyd Garrison summary
William Lloyd Garrison, (born Dec. 10/12, 1805, Newburyport,...
Robert Hutchings Goddard summary
Robert Hutchings Goddard, (born Oct. 5, 1882, Worcester, Mass.,...
Howard Hughes summary
Howard Hughes, (born Dec. 24, 1905, Houston, Texas, U.S.—died...
William Thomson, Baron Kelvin summary
William Thomson, Baron Kelvin, known as Lord Kelvin , (born...
Charles A. Lindbergh summary
Charles A.
Cyrus Hall McCormick summary
Cyrus Hall McCormick, (born Feb. 15, 1809, Rockbridge county,...
Guglielmo Marconi summary
Guglielmo Marconi, (born April 25, 1874, Bologna, Italy—died...
Thomas Midgley, Jr. summary
Thomas Midgley, Jr., (born May 18, 1889, Beaver Falls, Pa.,...
William Morris summary
William Morris, (born March 24, 1834, Walthamstow, near London,...
Samuel F. B. Morse summary
Samuel F.
Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, Viscount Northcliffe summary
Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, Viscount Northcliffe, (born...
Robert Noyce summary
Robert Noyce, (born Dec. 12, 1927, Burlington, Iowa, U.S.—died...
John Wesley Powell summary
John Wesley Powell, (born March 24, 1834, Mount Morris, N.Y.,...
Joseph Priestley summary
Joseph Priestley, (born March 13, 1733, Birstall Fieldhead,...
George M. Pullman summary
George M.
Henry Hobson Richardson summary
Henry Hobson Richardson, (born Sept. 29, 1838, Priestley Plantation,...
Theodore Roosevelt summary
Theodore Roosevelt, known as Teddy Roosevelt , (born Oct. 27,...
David Sarnoff summary
David Sarnoff, (born Feb. 27, 1891, Minsk, Russia—died Dec....
Claude Shannon summary
Claude Shannon, (born April 30, 1916, Petoskey, Mich., U.S.—died...
Igor Sikorsky summary
Igor Sikorsky, (born May 25, 1889, Kiev, Russian Empire—died...
George Stephenson summary
George Stephenson, (born June 9, 1781, Wylam, Northumberland,...
Frederick W. Taylor summary
Frederick W.
Ted Turner summary
Ted Turner, orig.
James Watt summary
James Watt, (born Jan. 19, 1736, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scot.—died...
Josiah Wedgwood summary
Josiah Wedgwood, (baptized July 12, 1730, Burslem, Staffordshire,...
Eli Whitney summary
Eli Whitney, (born Dec. 8, 1765, Westboro, Mass., U.S.—died...
Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright summary
Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright, (respectively, born April...
James Watt summary
James Watt, (born Jan. 19, 1736, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scot.—died...
Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright summary
Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright, (respectively, born April...
armour summary
armour, or body armour , Protective clothing that can shield...
battery summary
battery, Any of a class of devices, consisting of a group of...
bonsai summary
bonsai, (Japanese: “tray planting”) Living dwarf tree or trees;...
clock summary
clock, Machine or electronic device that measures and records...
copper summary
copper, Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements,...
cotton summary
cotton, Seed-hair fibre of various plants of the genus Gossypium,...
generator summary
generator, Machine that converts mechanical energy to electricity...
graft summary
graft, In horticulture, the act of placing a portion of one...
knot summary
knot, In cording, the interlacement of parts of one or more...
lock summary
lock, Mechanical or electronic device for securing a door or...
missile summary
missile, Rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver an explosive...
order summary
order, In Classical architecture, any of several styles defined...
pine summary
pine, Any of 10 genera of coniferous trees (rarely shrubs) of...
plumbing summary
plumbing, System of pipes and fixtures installed in a building...
refrigeration summary
refrigeration, Process of removing heat from an enclosed space...
silver summary
silver, Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements,...
skydiving summary
skydiving, Sport of jumping from an airplane at a moderate altitude...
Lusitania summary
Lusitania, British ocean liner sunk by a German submarine off...
bibliography summary
bibliography, Broadly, the systematic study and description...
domestication summary
domestication, Process of hereditary reorganization of wild...
mass transit summary
mass transit, Transportation systems, usually publicly but sometimes...
truck summary
truck, or lorry , Motor vehicle designed to carry freight or...
machine gun summary
machine gun, Automatic weapon capable of rapid, sustained fire,...
Maurice of Nassau summary
Maurice of Nassau, Dutch in full Maurits, prince van Oranje,...
hydrogen bomb summary
hydrogen bomb, or H-bomb or thermonuclear bomb , Weapon whose...
U-boat summary
U-boat, German Unterseeboot (“undersea boat”) , German submarine.
Pony Express summary
Pony Express, (1860–61) U.S.
prison summary
prison, Institution for the confinement of people convicted...
bomber summary
bomber, Military aircraft designed to drop bombs on surface...
chemical warfare summary
chemical warfare, Use of lethal or incapacitating chemical weapons...
cruiser summary
cruiser, Warship built for high speed and great cruising radius,...
news agency summary
news agency, or news service or wire service , Organization...
newspaper summary
newspaper, Publication usually issued daily, weekly, or at other...
sodium summary
sodium, Chemical element, one of the alkali metals, chemical...
biological warfare summary
biological warfare, or germ warfare , Military use of disease-producing...
essential oil summary
essential oil, Any of a class of highly volatile (readily evaporating)...
Hewlett-Packard Co. summary
Hewlett-Packard Co., U.S.
potassium summary
potassium, Chemical element, one of the alkali metals, chemical...
radium summary
radium, Chemical element, heaviest alkaline earth metal, chemical...
silicone summary
silicone, or polysiloxane , Any of a diverse class of polymers...
tin summary
tin, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Sn, atomic number...
chemical engineering summary
chemical engineering, Academic discipline and industrial activity...
gold summary
gold, Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements,...
lithium summary
lithium, Chemical element, lightest alkali metal, chemical symbol...
zinc summary
zinc, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Zn, atomic...
church summary
church, In Christian doctrine, the religious community as a...
crop rotation summary
crop rotation, Successive cultivation of different crops in...
jute summary
jute, Either of two herbaceous annuals (Corchorus capsularis...
petroleum summary
petroleum, or crude oil , Complex mixture of hydrocarbons derived...
regulatory agency summary
regulatory agency, Independent government commission charged...
ceramics summary
ceramics, Traditionally, objects created from such naturally...
dairy farming summary
dairy farming, Form of animal husbandry that uses mammals, primarily...
lace summary
lace, Ornamental openwork fabric formed by the looping, interlacing,...
livestock summary
livestock, Farm animals, with the exception of poultry.
pest summary
pest, Any organism, usually an animal, judged as a threat to...
TRW Inc. summary
TRW Inc., U.S.
poultry farming summary
poultry farming, Raising birds commercially or domestically...
fossil fuel summary
fossil fuel, Any of a class of materials of biologic origin...
mineral processing summary
mineral processing, or ore dressing , Mechanical treatment of...
natural gas summary
natural gas, Colourless, highly flammable gaseous hydrocarbon...
nickel summary
nickel, Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements,...
peat summary
peat, Organic fuel consisting of a light, spongy material formed...
robot summary
robot, Any automatically operated machine that replaces human...
telegraph summary
telegraph, Electromagnetic communication device.
tool and die making summary
tool and die making, Industrial art of manufacturing stamping...
Boeing Co. summary
Boeing Co., Major U.S.
cigar summary
cigar, Cylindrical roll of tobacco for smoking, consisting of...
compass summary
compass, In navigation or surveying, the chief device for direction...
glass summary
glass, Solid material, typically a mix of inorganic compounds,...
hotel summary
hotel, Building that provides lodging, meals, and other services...
iron summary
iron, Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements,...
lead summary
lead, Metallic chemical element, chemical symbol Pb, atomic...
Lockheed Martin Corp. summary
Lockheed Martin Corp., U.S.
magnesium summary
magnesium, Chemical element, one of the alkaline earth metals,...
mercury summary
mercury, or quicksilver , Metallic chemical element, chemical...
price index summary
price index, Measure of change in a set of prices, consisting...
Rolls-Royce PLC summary
Rolls-Royce PLC, British manufacturer of aircraft engines and...
Sixtus IV summary
Sixtus IV, orig.
systems engineering summary
systems engineering, Technique of using knowledge from various...
kite summary
kite, Light frame covered with paper or cloth, often provided...
little magazine summary
little magazine, Any of various small, usually avant-garde periodicals...
poster summary
poster, Eye-catching printed paper announcement or advertisement...
Rothschild family summary
Rothschild family, European banking dynasty.
soaring summary
soaring, or gliding , Sport of flying a glider or sailplane.
NEC Corp. summary
NEC Corp., Major Japanese computer, electronics, and telecommunications...
roof summary
roof, Covering of the top of a building.
stadium summary
stadium, Enclosure that provides a broad space for sports events...
houseplant summary
houseplant, Plant adapted for growing indoors, commonly a member...
organic farming summary
organic farming, or organic gardening , System of crop cultivation...
calcium summary
calcium, Chemical element, one of the alkaline earth metals,...
locomotive summary
locomotive, Self-propelled vehicle used for hauling railroad...
oil shale summary
oil shale, Any fine-grained sedimentary rock that contains solid...
subway summary
subway, Underground railway system used to transport passengers...
chromium summary
chromium, Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements,...
cobalt summary
cobalt, Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements,...
assault rifle summary
assault rifle, Military firearm that is chambered for ammunition...
book summary
book, Written (or printed) message of considerable length, meant...
bow and arrow summary
bow and arrow, Weapon consisting of a strip of wood or other...
gunpowder summary
gunpowder, Any of several mixtures used as propelling charges...
IBM Corp. summary
IBM Corp., in full International Business Machines Corporation...
military engineering summary
military engineering, Art and practice of designing and building...
Y2K bug summary
Y2K bug, or Year 2000 bug or millennium bug , Potential problem...
P-51 summary
P-51, or Mustang , Fighter aircraft of World War II.
production management summary
production management, or operations management , Planning,...
productivity summary
productivity, In economics, a measure of productive efficiency...
Spitfire summary
Spitfire, or Supermarine Spitfire , British fighter aircraft...
Toyota Motor Corp. summary
Toyota Motor Corp., Largest Japanese automobile manufacturer...
Wells Fargo & Co. summary
Wells Fargo & Co., Leading U.S.
Xerox Corp. summary
Xerox Corp., Major U.S.
ergonomics summary
ergonomics, or human engineering or human factors engineering...
palace summary
palace, Royal residence, and sometimes a seat of government...
window summary
window, Opening in the wall of a building for light and air,...
Apollo summary
Apollo, NASA manned Moon-landing project of the 1960s and ’70s.
bus summary
bus, Large motor vehicle designed to carry passengers usually...
fishing summary
fishing, or sport fishing , Sport of catching fish—freshwater...
hunting summary
hunting, Pursuit of game animals, principally as sport.
motorcycle summary
motorcycle, Bicycle or tricycle propelled by an internal combustion...
parachute summary
parachute, Umbrella-like device for slowing the descent of a...
streetcar summary
streetcar, or trolley car , Passenger-carrying vehicle that...
tire summary
tire, Rubber cushion that fits around a wheel and usually contains...
whaling summary
whaling, Hunting of whales for food, oil, or both.
balance summary
balance, Instrument for comparing the weights of two bodies,...
bioengineering summary
bioengineering, Application of engineering principles and equipment...
blast furnace summary
blast furnace, Vertical shaft furnace that produces liquid metals...
control system summary
control system, Means by which a set of variable quantities...
conveyor belt summary
conveyor belt, One of various devices that provide mechanized...
crane summary
crane, Any of a diverse group of machines that lift and move...
desalination summary
desalination, or desalting , Removal of dissolved salts from...
diesel engine summary
diesel engine, Internal-combustion engine in which air is compressed...
electrical engineering summary
electrical engineering, Branch of engineering concerned with...
electroplating summary
electroplating, Process of coating with metal by means of an...
engineering summary
engineering, Professional art of applying science to the optimum...
flight recorder summary
flight recorder, Instrument that records the performance and...
fuel cell summary
fuel cell, Device that converts chemical energy of a fuel directly...
genetic engineering summary
genetic engineering, Artificial manipulation, modification,...
instrumentation summary
instrumentation, In technology, the development and use of precise...
leather summary
leather, Animal skins and hides treated to preserve them and...
lens summary
lens, Piece of glass or other transparent substance that is...
lubrication summary
lubrication, Introduction of any of various substances between...
machine summary
machine, Device that amplifies or replaces human or animal effort...
mechanical engineering summary
mechanical engineering, Branch of engineering concerned with...
metric system summary
metric system, International decimal system of weights and measures,...
pump summary
pump, Machine that uses energy to raise, transport, or compress...
recycling summary
recycling, or materials salvage , Recovery and reuse of materials...
research and development (R&D) summary
research and development (R&D), In industry, two closely related...
rope summary
rope, Assemblage of fibres, filaments, or wires compacted by...
saw summary
saw, Tool for cutting solid materials to prescribed lengths...
silk summary
silk, Animal fibre produced by certain insects as building material...
steam engine summary
steam engine, Machine that uses steam power to perform mechanical...
tool summary
tool, Device for making material changes on other objects, as...
typewriter summary
typewriter, Machine for writing characters similar to those...
watch summary
watch, Portable timepiece designed to be worn on the wrist or...
waterwheel summary
waterwheel, Machine for tapping the energy of running or falling...
welding summary
welding, Technique for joining metallic parts, usually through...
windmill summary
windmill, Machine for harnessing the energy of the wind using...
wool summary
wool, Animal fibre that is the protective covering, or fleece,...
wrench summary
wrench, or spanner , Tool, usually operated by hand, for tightening...
zone melting summary
zone melting, Any of a group of techniques used to purify an...
radio summary
radio, Electromagnetic radiation of lower frequency (hence longer...
canning summary
canning, Method of preserving food from spoilage by storing...
castle summary
castle, Medieval European stronghold, generally the fortified...
computer graphics summary
computer graphics, Use of computers to produce visual images,...
programming language summary
programming language, Language in which a computer programmer...
data compression summary
data compression, Process of reducing the amount of data needed...
database summary
database, Collection of data or information organized for rapid...
digital computer summary
digital computer, Computer capable of solving problems by processing...
DVD summary
DVD, in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc , ...
fax summary
fax, in full facsimile , Device for the transmission and reproduction...
industrial design summary
industrial design, Design of products made by large-scale industry...
modulation summary
modulation, In electronics, a technique for impressing information...
pamphlet summary
pamphlet, Unbound printed publication with a paper cover or...
photocopier summary
photocopier, Device for producing copies of text or graphic...
virtual reality summary
virtual reality, Use of computer modeling and simulation to...
quantum computing summary
quantum computing, Experimental method of computing that makes...
DNA computing summary
DNA computing, Form of computing in which DNA molecules are...
data mining summary
data mining, Type of database analysis that attempts to discover...
archives summary
archives, Repository for an organized body of records.
basilica summary
basilica, Originally a secular public building in ancient Rome,...
cement summary
cement, Agent that binds concrete and mortar.
civil engineering summary
civil engineering, Profession of designing and executing structural...
concrete summary
concrete, Artificial stone made of a mixture of cement, aggregate...
door summary
door, Movable barrier installed in the entry of a room or building...
elevator summary
elevator, Car that moves in a vertical shaft to carry passengers...
Empire State Building summary
Empire State Building, Steel-framed 102-story building designed...
floor covering summary
floor covering, Finish material on floors, including wood strips,...
fortification summary
fortification, Structure erected to strengthen a military position...
heating summary
heating, Process of raising the temperature of an enclosed space.
incandescent lamp summary
incandescent lamp, Any of various devices that produce light...
labyrinth summary
labyrinth, or maze , System of intricate passageways and blind...
masonry summary
masonry, Craft of building in stone, brick, or block.
measurement summary
measurement, Association of numbers with physical quantities...
Microsoft Corp. summary
Microsoft Corp., U.S.
neural network summary
neural network, Type of parallel computation in which computing...
Pentagon summary
Pentagon, Huge five-sided building (1941–43) in Arlington, Va.,...
pyramid summary
pyramid, Ancient monumental structure constructed of or faced...
skyscraper summary
skyscraper, Very tall multistoried building.
surveying summary
surveying, Method of making relatively large-scale, accurate...
water-supply system summary
water-supply system, Facilities for the collection, treatment,...